New leaders assume their roles on K-State Alumni Association board of directors
The K-State Alumni Association board of directors transitioned its membership and leadership June 11 during the board’s annual meeting in Manhattan, Kansas.
Candace Hart Duncan, Bethesda, Maryland, who served as chair-elect last year, assumed her leadership position as 2022-23 chair at the annual meeting. Duncan earned her bachelor’s degree from K-State in 1975. She is a retired office managing partner with KPMG in the greater Washington, D.C., metro area. Duncan succeeds Nabeeha Kazi Hutchins, Washington, D.C., who now fills the immediate past-chair position until June 2023. A 1996 K-State graduate, Hutchins serves as president and CEO of PAI, Washington, D.C. Additionally, Tim Oswalt, Oak Harbor, Washington, will serve as chair-elect. Oswalt earned a bachelor's degree in finance from K-State in 1993.
In a general election this spring, members of the Alumni Association approved a slate of five new members of the board of directors.
These alumni also began their four-year terms at the board’s annual meeting and will continue to June 2026.
They are Link Evans ’82, an oil and gas consultant from The Woodlands, Texas; Phil Kirk ’89, who serves as one of 10 regional directors for the Cyber and Infrastructure Security Agency, a component of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Oak Grove, Missouri; Tonya Rudolph Barta ’91, Holton, Kansas, who is president and CEO of The Farmer’s State Bank; Jill Stehley Harrison, owner and president of Interim HealthCare of Topeka, Prairie Village, Kansas; and Kelly Williams ’03, Kansas City, Kansas, human resources manager for BNSF Railway.
Additional board leadership includes Mary Vanier ’89, Manhattan, chair of the Kansas State University Foundation board of directors; Curt Frasier ’73, Beloit, Kansas, treasurer; Amy Button Renz ’76, ’86, Manhattan, president and CEO of the Alumni Association and board secretary; Greg Willems, Manhattan, president and CEO of the KSU Foundation; and K-State President Richard Linton, Manhattan.
Two K-State students filling yearlong standing appointments also assumed their seats on the board. They are Emily Howard, Eudora, Kansas, Student Alumni Board president, and Parker Vulgamore, Scott City, Kansas, K-State student body president.
Outgoing members recognized for their service to the Alumni Association’s board of directors were Frank Hernandez, III ’92, Houston, Texas; Debbie Leckron Miller ’75, Council Grove, Kansas; Jeff Luty ’89, Lenexa, Kansas; and Kendal Frazier ’73 exiting past-chair, Centennial, Colorado.
Michael Dowd ’22, Olathe, Kansas, 2021-22 K-State student body president, and Megan Klug ’22, Overland Park, Kansas, 2021-22 Student Alumni Board president, were also recognized for their service.
“On behalf of the Alumni Association, I would like to extend our utmost appreciation for the leadership these volunteers, both past and present, have given to the organization,” Renz said. “These K-Staters provide us with their time, talents and experiences which allow us to be better stewards of our mission to ‘to lead and inspire lifelong involvement that will benefit Kansas State University and all members of our Wildcat Community.’”